Lens News

Ricoh Imaging has announced two new HD PENTAX D FA Lenses. Designed for use with the the Pentax K-mount DSLR cameras (and future Pentax sensor technology) these lenses offer ranges not found in previous models, including a star-series telephoto zoom and super-telephoto zoom for capturing clear images of distant subjects and weather resistant for shooting in all conditions.

The HD PENTAX D FA lenses feature a high-grade HD Coating which helps produce extra-sharp, high-contrast images, minimizing flare and ghosting, even under demanding lighting conditions such as backlight situations.

The HD PENTAX-D FA★ 70-200mm F2.8ED DC AW has a new optical design in the PENTAX Star (★) series, which boasts the highest image quality of all PENTAX interchangeable lenses. In addition to the HD coating, this lens features the Aero Bright Coating II, for low reflectance.

Thanks to its large-constant aperture design, the lens provides an accelerated maximum aperture of f/2.8 at all focal lengths from 70mm to 200mm. In addition to four super-low dispersion glass elements and two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements, its optics includes a pair of new Super ED glass elements to compensate chromatic aberration over the entire zoom range and deliver crisp, high-resolution images with edge-to-edge sharpness.

Its dustproof, weather-resistant body makes it dependable and durable in demanding outdoor conditions. This new lens boasts fast, quiet internal focusing, zoom versatility and an AF limiter switch to improve autofocus response time.

The HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW covers focal lengths from 150mm to 450mm and incorporates three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements and a super-low dispersion glass element to compensate for chromatic aberration. The weather-resistance body protects it from dust and moisture.

Main Features

HD PENTAX-D FA★ 70-200mm F2.8ED DC AW. High-performance Star (★)-series lens with large F2.8 maximum aperture.

This telephoto zoom lens was developed as a new model of the high-performance Star (★) series. When mounted on a PENTAX K-mount SLR camera body, it provides a zoom ratio of approximately 2.9 times to cover a telephoto range from 107mm to 307mm in the 35mm format. Its image circle is optimized to cover even the image size of 35mm film-format SLR cameras.

This zoom lens is treated with the Aero Bright Coating II—a lens-coating nanotechnology that employs a super-low refractive film fabrication process to assure light reflectance lower than that of the conventional Aero Bright Coating. By coupling this advanced lens coating with the high-grade, multi-layer HD Coating that reduces an average reflectance in a visible ray spectrum to less than 50% of conventional multi-layer coatings, this lens effectively reduces flare and ghost images to a minimum even under demanding lighting conditions such as backlight. It also features four super-low dispersion glass elements, two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements, and two Super ED glass elements, which have optical properties similar to fluorite and assure lower light dispersion and more effective compensation of chromatic aberration.

Developed as an AW (All Weather) model, this zoom lens features a dependable dustproof, weather-resistant construction with 13 special seals to prevent the intrusion of water and dust particles into the lens interior.

The lens is equipped with the PENTAX-developed Quick-Shift Focus System, which allows the user to instantly switch to Manual-focus operation after the subject is captured in focus by the camera’s AF system. In order to improve its operability, a 3-position switch is installed on this lens, allowing instant switching among QFS/A, QFS/M and MF modes. QFS/A is an Autofocus-Priority mode, which allows the user to switch to manual-focusing operation only when autofocus operation is completed. QFS/M is a Manual-Focus-Priority mode, which enables the user to switch to manual focusing at any time—even when the AF system is in operation. MF mode allows the user to instantly switch to manual focusing with a simple twist of the focus ring on the lens.

HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW. Super-telephoto coverage with three-times zoom ratio. When mounted on a PENTAX K-mount SLR camera body, this zoom lens covers a super-telephoto range from approximately 230mm to 690mm in the 35mm format. It is designed to be compact and light enough to handhold during long-range shooting of such subjects as wildlife, aircraft and sports.

Featuring three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements and one super-low dispersion glass element, this zoom lens minimizes spherical and chromatic aberrations while producing crisp images free of color bleeding. Its MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) curve is programmed to be higher than those of conventional models in the same class to deliver high-resolution, fine-detailed images. Its image circle is optimized to cover even the image size of 35mm film-format SLR cameras.

This lens is treated with the high-grade, multi-layer HD Coating. This PENTAX-original coating assures higher light transmittance and less reflection to deliver bright, high-contrast images free of flare and ghost images, even under demanding lighting conditions such as backlight.

Developed as an AW (All Weather) model, this zoom lens features a dependable dustproof, weather-resistant construction with 21 special seals to prevent the intrusion of water and dust particles into the lens interior. By pairing it with a PENTAX weather-resistant digital SLR camera body, it assures a durable, reliable digital imaging system that performs superbly in demanding shooting settings.

The lens is equipped with the PENTAX-developed Quick-Shift Focus System, which allows the user to instantly switch to manual-focus operation after the subject is captured in focus by the camera’s AF system. In order to improve its operability, a three-position switch is installed on this lens, allowing instant switching among QFS/A, QFS/M and MF modes. QFS/A is an Autofocus-Priority mode, which allows the user to switch to Manual-Focusing operation only when autofocus operation is completed. QFS/M is a Manual-Focus-Priority mode, which enables the user to switch to manual focusing at any time.

In order to provide more stable AF operation and better hold of the lens regardless of the camera’s orientation — horizontal or vertical — this lens provides four AF buttons on its barrel — one at every 90 degrees.** The user can assign preferred settings to these AF buttons, including: a Focus Preset mode to preprogram the focus position and instantly shift the focus to that position; and an AF Cancel mode to intentionally fix the focus at a desired point during Continuous AF operation.

Other Features:

Smooth, quiet AF operation using a lens-installed AF driving motor.

Round-shaped diaphragm to produce a natural, beautiful bokeh (defocus) effect, while minimizing the streaking effect of point light sources.

Focus range limiter to minimize AF operation time by fixing the focus range to one of three sub-ranges.

SP (Super Protect) coating to keep the front surface free of dust and stains.

Zoom lock lever to prevent the lens barrel from free-falling.

Detachable tripod mounting with a newly designed anti-falling mechanism.

Both the HD PENTAX-D FA★ 70-200mm F2.8ED DC AW and HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW will go on asle in March 2015 for the following prices

HD PENTAX-D FA★ 70-200mm F2.8ED DC AW: $2299.95

HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6ED DC AW:  $2499.95

More info on these Pentax lenses here.